Stung early in a four-way battle for the lead, Yale had enough left late to shrug off two challenges en route to a lifetime-best 1:56.2 win in the $150,685 Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) Final for three-year-old male trotters on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Bally's Dover.

With Art Stafford Jr. at the lines for owner/breeder/trainer Stacy Johnson-Stafford, Yale sprinted clear of three other leavers on approach to the first turn and led Royalty Star (Troy Beyer) through a :28.2 first quarter. Wolfpack Cheddar (Pat Berry) pressed on in the breeze, and 1-5 favourite Melvin G (Tim Tetrick) was stacked three-deep before retreating to the second-over position with a lap to go. Yale kept Wolfpack Cheddar's mild pressure at bay through a :57.3 half.

Up the backstretch, Wolfpack Cheddar worked to within a half-length of Yale, only to sharply fade with three-eighths to go. As Melvin G failed to threaten off worsening cover past three-quarters in 1:27.1, Yale's main danger became Royalty Star, whom Beyer angled off the pegs to take aim passing the eighth pole. Yale remained steadfast, holding Royalty Star off by a driven half-length. Legend Of Rock (Corey Callahan) finished a ground-saving third, another 3-1/4 lengths behind.

Yale, an E L Platinum-Press Corp colt with six wins and $227,131 in earnings from nine career starts, paid $9 to win as the 7-2 second choice.

In the $27,397 DSBF series consolation, Brass Survivor and driver George Dennis made every call a winning one in a 2-1/4-length, 1:59.1 victory over Perfect Surprise (Allan Davis). Le Beau Mondello (Trae Porter) was third. Carlo Poliseno owns and trains the winning Collect The Brass-Wilsons Flame gelding, who paid $10 to win as the 4-1 third choice.

Tim Tetrick won seven races on the 15-race card. The leading reinsman delivered Telitonthemountain ($2.80), Pierre In Paris ($3), Sevecheetah ($5), Somebody Special ($6.20), Mrmayor Hanover ($3.20), Topville Rocknluck ($2.70), and Gaelihill ($5.20) to the winner's circle. He now has 458 wins this year, putting him seventh in the national rankings, and leads the Dover standings.

The $110,000 USD DSBF series championship for sophomore pacing fillies is carded as the 11th race on Wednesday's 15-race program at Bally's Dover. First post is 4:30 p.m.

(With files from DSBF)